


1/2 Miraculous

by Coccinelle (Vampirenote13)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: 1/2 Prince - Freeform, F/M, MMORPG
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 17:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14218191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampirenote13/pseuds/Coccinelle
Summary: In the daytime you are yourself, and when the sun goes down that's when you become Miraculous.Miraculous is an MMORPG that promises 99% realism with the company's patented Dreams Gaming Device VR headset and an experience unlike any other game before it. There's something a little off putting as the game evolves that no player can put their finger on.1/2 Prince inspired.





	1. Chapter 1

“And that’s why I’ll be on the leader board for Miraculous in no time.” Chloé had the attention of most the class at this point.

“Boys can never resist a pretty face, they’ll give me good gear, money, and help me level quickly. Why, I bet even Mari-bland here,” she pointed her thumb at at the bluenette who had joined the crowd of students listening to her. “Will have some pathetic guys throwing themselves at her just because she’s a girl.”

That was probably the biggest compliment Marinette Dupain-Cheng had ever received from the Mayor’s daughter, the blonde bully who tormented her class for years. Yet Chloé’s words only fueled Marinette’s drive, her absolute need to prove the girl wrong.

“I don’t need help from anyone to be good. I can get to the top of the leader board without others carrying me there.” Marinette declared boldly. 

Chloé turned her head to narrow her eyes at Marinette and scoffed. “What are you gonna do? Even if you aren’t pretty, you’re a girl. You’re always going to be treated like you need to be helped.”

Marinette didn’t get to answer as the bell signifying class was starting rang. Her resolve only tightened as their teacher started talking.

“Psst, girl…” Alya, her desk mate and best friend poked her softly. “I’m with ya on proving that witch wrong. You pre-ordered Miraculous too, right?”

Of course she had. An MMORPG that promised innovative combat, weapons, and 99% realism? She had saved up for it since its announcement, taking on more babysitter shifts and doing commissions which included one Jagged Stone album cover. 

Needless to say, the Dreams Gaming Device headset itself wasn’t cheap and she had just barely reached the amount she needed before pre-orders ran out. While others would be lining up at midnight tonight to get the chance to get the game, she would be wearing her headset to sleep. She had tried it on when it came in the mail yesterday, but of course the game was not live yet thus it was nothing more than a fancy paperweight for the time being. 

“The pre-order comes with a completely customizable mask accessory. I’m thinking we could both hide our faces and really show Chloé what’s what.” Alya waggled her eyebrows. “We could form the best goddamn team and get to the top without higher level players helping us out. Whatchu think, girl?” 

“Sounds good.” Marinette couldn’t help but smile at her friend. She was thinking something similar. “I was thinking on making my user Coccinelle for good luck, what about you?”

“I was thinking something with some flair…. Maybe Red Fox?” Alya pondered, idly running her fingers through her hair. 

“That’ll be a cool name if its not taken.” Marinette smiled. “So yeah, finish our homework as quick as possible, then see if we can meet up in Miraculous?”

“For sure!” 

\---

This was probably the first time Marinette had finished her homework so quickly and was dressed for bed earlier than she ever had been before. Her parents had even made some joke over dinner about how the game was going to improve a lot of sleep schedules across the world. 

She crawled under the duvet of her bed and picked up the DGD headset beside her, putting it on and adjusting it once more (She had already tried it on a few times, but now as she laid her head back, she had to compensate for a new position), and took a deep breath before closing her eyes and turning the helmet on. 

There was darkness. For a moment, she wondered if she had broken the device with her fussing and handling of it or it had been defective from the start. Light bled into her vision as she was about to reach for her head and she heard soft fluttering behind her. She turned to meet…

The most adorable little figure ever. With a head bigger than its small body, it was colorless with small antenna sticking out and a small tail. She thought maybe it was a fairy of some sort as its eyes, just as white as the rest of the creature, opened and it gave her a calm smile. 

“Hello Marinette,” the fairy greeted her as it approached. How it knew her name, she wasn’t sure. “I am your Kwami, your guide and caretaker for your adventure through the world of Miraculous. Give me a moment to perform a few scans on you.” 

Marinette did not like the idea of scans, but the tiny little creature assured her the device was scanning for some necessary stuff for translating between languages and some other game-related content. A ray shot out of the creature’s antenna at her and it only tingled slightly as she was scanned. 

The Kwami suddenly morphed as the scan finished. No longer a pure white, but now dyed the crimson, its antenna split into two, a few spots formed on its head, and its tail fanned out. Its eyes closed for a moment before opening to reveal a brilliant blue. 

Marinette must have gaped too hard, because the kwami giggled into its small hands. “Sorry, part of the scan is to customize the Kwami to the individual. My name is Tikki.” she floated over, offering Marinette one of her small paws. Marinette was very gentle as she shook Tikki’s hand. 

“Now that that’s out of the way, next time you can just jump straight into Miraculous whenever you put the helmet on!” Tikki zipped a few feet away, giving her a brilliant smile that Marinette couldn’t help returning. 

“You are ready to start making your character. Before making it, I must warn you though…. You only have one chance to design your avatar. Once character creation is complete, your race, name, and looks cannot be changed.”

Marinette nodded. She knew all this, it was part of the promise that the game would be as realistic as possible, thought it stopped at death for which she had heard the only consequence was losing a level. That seemed like a fair trade off to her. “Ok Tikki, where do I start?”

The little fairy before her bobbed her head as her antenna lit up the space around them. They were surrounded by various races. “You can start by picking a race.” Tikki informed. “Races are divided into humans, elves, dark elves, dwarfs, celestials, elementals, and beasts. Each race, of course, has many sub-categories.” 

There were so many races to pick from, Marinette didn’t know where to start! There was a mirror in front of her, currently reflecting herself with only undergarments. She started by eliminating what she didn’t want. Dwarf and Celestial were out out of the question in her book. Maybe she should just go human?

Her eyes took in the cast of races in front of her and finally settled on one of the creatures in the back. It was one of the elementals, a nymph with insect-like wings. “I want to see myself as a nymph.” She declared. 

The mirror reflected her with this new race. Her freckles became more pronounced, some shifting into small leaves down her arms and legs. Vine patterns spidered down her neck and her torso, both beautiful and almost like a curse. The eyes staring back at her were a brighter blue with a soft glow to them. The wings reached mirror-Marinette’s lower back, pressed flat for now. The avatar’s hair was shortened in, ironically enough, a Pixie-cut. Her character’s facial features itself were very androgynous and Tikki was quick to inform the race was genderless if she was really set on it.

‘Perfect’, Marinette thought. She asked for a few adjustments. The leaves were toned down to only a handful on her character, the wings were now a soft red. 

“And what class will you be picking?” Tikki asked as the next step. 

Marinette grinned. She had narrowed it to two when the classes for the game had been announced. “Tell me about Thief and Ninja

“Agile and lithe, both Ninja and Thief have a natural affinity for parkour and blending into the shadows. What seperates a Thief from a Ninja is that a Thief is cunning, a jack of all trades and master of none while the Ninja hones one skill. 

A Thief could make a weapon from anything, while a Ninja is lost without their chosen weapon. Ninjas focus more on their illusions and tricks to help them, while Thief rely solely on their own combat ability and wit. A Ninja creates opportunities, while a Thief will find them in the heat of battle.”

It was a hard choice but Marinette knew which she could see herself as. “Show me as a Thief.”

The mirror in front of her morphed her avatar’s visage, now wearing a dark hooded cloak, leather tunic and leather pants underneath just as dark. It was an outfit fit for an outcast as the Thief class represented and further hid anything that indicated she was female. Tikki asked if she wanted to preview another class, or customise her attire. 

“I want the cloak to be a bit darker red than yourself, with black polka dot spots if possible.” Marinette told Tikki. 

The mirror shifted, the cloak on her avatar reflecting her color choice. More red was added to the outfit as Marinette went through ideas. Her passion for fashion overtook her as pants became black leggings with red spots that reached black shorts belted off her tunic. The cloak itself was shorted to meet her thighs and was lined with black inside. 

“Excellent choices, Marinette. But now, here’s the most important choice you’ll make in this life: What’s your name?” Tikki asked as she looked the Thief in the mirror over. 

“Is Coccinelle taken?” Marinette asked and then added. “If not, is Ladybug taken?”

“Coccinelle is indeed taken already, but you are in luck though Marinette. Ladybug is free.”

“Ladybug it is then, Tikki.” Marinette felt excitement welling up inside her. 

“Oh, one more thing. I noticed you pre-ordered your copy of Miraculous. Would you like to equip and customize the Hero’s Mask included, Marinette?” Tikki pondered. 

“Yes. What kind of mask shapes are offered?” Marinette asked and was replied with a circle of masks surrounding her. Full face masks, domino masks, half-face masks, a variety of masquerade masks stared at her. She reached out and picked up the domino mask. “Can I get this in red with black spots, to match the cloak?”

No sooner had she asked did the mask shift and she instinctively put it on. Her mirror self reflected it as well, and it just complete the ensemble. The ocean blue eyes stared back at her in awe, the Nymph Thief mimicking her expressions. She looked it twice-over before deciding she was done fooling with character creation. 

“Tikki, how do I pick my stats?” She pondered. 

“Oh, those are randomly assigned. Don’t worry. The last thing you need to decide is where you wish to be born. There’s 5 regions to pick from,” Tikki started to list them and Marinette paled in realization. She had forgotten to ask Alya about that. It wouldn’t be a problem at higher levels, but it was still a very important thing they should have discussed. “Uh… Whichever is most popular I guess.” She figured Alya would do the same so it was a safe bet. 

“Alright, if that’s decided… You are ready to be born then. Are you satisfied with everything, Ladybug?” Tikki asked for confirmation, as per policy. 

“Yeah Tikki… I’m ready.” Marinette felt a spike of confidence that could be heard in her words. She was ready for anything Miraculous threw at her. 

\---

Somewhere, the son of one of the developers of the game stared at the device his father had tried to hide from him. His mother had put so much love and effort into making this, just for him, and he was very angry his father had even so much as dared tried to keep him away from it as the older man blamed his mother’s disappearance on it. 

He put the helmet on with a purpose and flipped the switch. For the first time in his young life, Adrien would rebel and it would not be the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Party:  
> Ladybug, Nymph Thief


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 2. For reference: When in-game, I will use their Avatar's names. When it is reality, I will use their actual names.
> 
> Party:  
> Ladybug, Nymph Thief

Ladybug felt stiff as if she had been sleeping wrong for a while, something pressed against her nose. She opened her eyes to realize she was on the ground and there was the soft murmur of whispers around her as she scrambled to get up. She was in a rural town very unlike Paris, she took note as Tikki floated to sit on her shoulder. 

“You’re on the Central Continent. It looks like some players already seem interested in making friends with you,” The Kwami informed jubilantly, clapping its hands together. “Maybe you should see if they wish to make a party with you.”

It took Ladybug a moment to understand what Tikki meant. The crowd around her were mostly human, celestial, or elf- a few beasts and fewer elementals; All had unique Kwami hanging around them. Everyone was stealing glances her way and quickly turning away with a blush. Did she make a weird avatar? Were they sizing her up and embarrassed she had caught them looking? It was too late now to make changes she remembered as she pulled her hood up and skittered out of the town. 

“We recommend grinding on some Slimes for some early level ups if you cannot find any quests,” Tikki informed idly as Ladybug followed signs around town out into the wilderness, her surroundings changing to a beaten path surrounded by trees and various critters including the aforementioned Slimes. “They should be easy enough.”

Ladybug reached for her belt, opening her starting pouch. A small screen popped up as she took note of the items names: Thief’s Dagger and Throwing Knives. They would have to do for now. “Good idea, Tikki.” She smiled before throwing one of the throwing knife directly at the nearest slime. The poor creature had no time to react as it was impaled and promptly liquified into a pool of green and Tikki’s small voice informed her she had gained 25 exp. 

‘Well, that was easy.’ Ladybug grinned to herself.

Of course she had to jinx it, as the other slimes in the area aggroed on her, all eyes lit up in fury. ‘Oh no.’

\---

Two hours later she felt much more confident as she hit level 10. Her starting pouch was full of trash items and Ladybug knew she had to return to the town to sell items. 

Making sure her hood was fixed in place, she sighed as she pulled out the map. Realistic or not, Ladybug was grateful the map still reflected what direction she was facing as she put it away and headed back to town. 

She did not expect to be swarmed and most certainly was not expecting a horde of players, asking her to join their party. What?

Looking over the players, she realized they all had a look in their eyes. It was the look she remembered Alya giving when the girl had a crush on Nino before finally asking him out. The look Rose had whenever she talked about the newest boy she swore was the love of her life. The look a lion has before it pounces on a gazelle. 

‘Oh.’ “Uh… I gotta go now…” She managed as she jumped from the crowd and started running. They chased her and she would have been caught if an arm hadn’t pulled her aside, covering her mouth before she could scream in protest, and she watched as an illusion of Ladybug kept running. 

“Shhh.” A voice softly told her before her mouth was free and she turned to her savior/kidnapper. A auburn-haired fox girl dressed in a Han-styled robe was grinning at her with such a familiar expression it took her a moment. 

“Alya?” Ladybug guessed. 

“Rena Rouge, but yes.” The girl confirmed as she tied the flute that Ladybug just noticed to her sash. “Your friendly neighborhood Taoist at your service, Mari.”

“ I didn’t think I was obvious.” Ladybug frowned. So even with her mask her friend had easily recognized her, this wasn’t going to work then-

“Actually, I’ve been spamming your goddamn ID with friend requests, your name shows up differently for me or I would have never recognized you. Now accept my request already.” Rena deadpanned at her as a small orange fox-like Kwami flew out to sit on Ladybug’s shoulder next to Tikki. 

“Oh, I am sorry, that’s on me Ladybug. I forgot to inform you... “ Tikki frowned as she turned to the other Kwami. “At your word.”

“Accept.” Ladybug said simply as the two Kwami then hugged. She hadn’t even pondered on how Tikki could even forget to tell her something that should have been basic programing. 

“Ok, Rena Rouge is now on your friends list. You can private message each other by simply asking me or Trixx and relaying the message to us. As long as the other is online, they will get the message as soon as possible.” Tikki informed them both.

Trixx rose up to meet Ladybug face to face. “It’s nice to meet you, Ladybug.”

“Likewise.” Ladybug reached out and pet the Kwami, who very much enjoyed the petting if the nudging for more contact wasn’t any indication. 

“Trixx is a charmer.” Rena snorted. “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we? A Taoist and… Thief, right?” Ladybug nodded in confirmation. They really were quite the pair.

“Man, maybe I should have gone a tankier class or a healing class… But I couldn’t resist Taoist when I saw what it did.” Rena shrugged. Changing classes was expensive, so she wouldn’t be able to for a while anyways.

“It’s like…. An Illusionary mage, right?” Ladybug pondered. It did seem to fit her best friend quite well. 

“Kinda.” Rena confirmed, her tail swishing softly behind her. “Its really fun. I’ve got these Fus,” she pulled out some slips of paper from her own pouch and brought it up to show Ladybug. “And I pick out one for what kind of attack I want to do and throw it at the enemy, then activate it with my flute.” she pointed to the flute on her hip. 

“So far I’ve only got some minor fire and supportive Fus and small illusions. That illusion I sent off for people to chase is as big as they get, and that kinda drained a lot of my mana.” Rena admitted, rubbing her neck. “I mean, as I get higher level that’ll be nothing, but for now, it’s kinda like an emergency retreat and I figured saving my best friend from a hoard of fangirls seemed to call for those kind of measures…”

“F-fangirls?” Ladybug squeaked. 

Rena snorted. “Have you looked at yourself- Of course you have, you had to have before getting here. You picked a goddamn Nymph which is like, the hottest of the elemental races. Everyone assumes they are male even though they are genderless, and with your features? You look like a goddamn fashion model that rivals Adrien Agreste. If I hadn’t known it was you, I probably would have been hitting on you too...” 

That explained why everyone had looked at her like she was a mouthwatering steak. Well, shoot, she hadn’t taken that into consideration in her quest to make an avatar that looked good but wouldn’t be the target of people trying to help her just because she was a girl. 

“W-what do I do?” Ladybug felt a bit of doubt now. How was she going to get to the top of the leaderboard without anyone thinking it was just because she was good looking? She was just in a slightly reversed scenario of what Chloe had depicted earlier. 

Rena shrugged. “We could pretend to be a couple. I’m sure if Ladybug is off the market, people at the very least would have to respect that.” 

Ladybug’s eyes widened and she nodded swiftly. “Marry me, Alya!”

“Damn girl, no need to be so forward.” Rena laughed as Ladybug’s face turned red when she realized what she had said. “Besides, we don’t have the gold for that yet. Just act natural and if people ask, then you can drape your arm around my shoulder or something and just say you’re spoken for. No need to actually get married.” 

“I-I’m sorry, oh my god, that was so dumb!” Ladybug hid her face in her hands. “I thought that I would avoid getting noticed by not playing a female character, and I just made it worse didn’t I?”

“Yeah... That’s ok though, the statistics weren’t really out yet on what was popular. Not a lot of people play elemental races, but apparently players really find the Nymphs ‘Hot and mysterious’.” Rena smirked before looking to Trixx. “Trixx, pull up the time please.” 

A screen popped up between them as Trix’s ears lit up, very clearly showing it was almost time to wake up. “Dang, I thought we’d have more time, I only just finally found you. At least we’re in level range, we can totally grind some levels together tomorrow. Let’s go find the inn so we can at least log in rested.” 

Ladybug was just as surprised how much time had past. Had she really spent so long in character creation and then fighting her way to level 10? She guessed the saying ‘Time flies when you’re having fun’ really did ring true in this case. 

She and Rena locked arms, remembering that they needed a cover for Ladybug as they tried to follow backroads of the town towards the inn. She could still feel eyes on her, but nobody approached. When they finally arrived at the inn, the Innkeeper NPC was quick to greet them.

“Hello ladies- Lady and gentleman?” The Innkeeper quickly amended. “Would you like to spend some bronze for some amenities? We have milk and cookies, fresh made! Guaranteed to restore your health and mana in a pinch.”

“Sure.” The two best friends quickly forked over some bronze, Ladybug investing into the cookies while Rena got some milk. 

Their Kwami kinda looked at them almost like they were hungry. “Oh, do…. Do you two need to eat?” Ladybug asked with the realization that maybe the Kwamis were more like a pet system and needed nourishment.

“We do not require it per say, but it is always nice to be fed.” Trixx answered to quell her worries.

“All Kwami have pre-set tastes.” Tikki added. “It just so happens that I have a taste for sweets, and Trixx likes milk and fruits…” 

“Oh!” Ladybug quickly fumbled for one of the cookies and gave it to Tikki, watching as the little Kwami took it in her paws and practically inhaled the treat. 

Rena had a similar experience as the milk she gave Trixx quickly disappeared.

“Alright, my alarm is about to ring Ladybug, but I’ll see you at school!” Rena informed. “I can’t wait for us to train tomorrow.”

“Likewise.” 

Her alarm was already blaring in her ears as Marinette panicked to remove the helmet, finding herself in her own room. She felt both rested and groggy as she rubbed her eyes, trying to ground herself to reality. Miraculous had felt so real, there had hardly been a transition between it and waking up. 

It was something she would have to grow accustomed to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for lack of Adrien this chapter. I promise we'll see him again soon.  
> Oh look, a Red Fox.  
> Party Member Acquired:  
> Rena Rouge, Beast (Fox) Taoist


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I am so glad people are liking this, even those who haven't heard of 1/2 Prince.  
> I will not be following the story of 1/2 Prince exactly, but I will try to work in what I feel fits.
> 
> Party:  
> Ladybug, Nymph Thief  
> Rena Rouge, Beast (Fox) Taoist

It was if all of Marinette’s remaining sense of balance had been sucked into the game, some form of compensation for picking a class that could not only walk properly but do so much more than she could ever hope to accomplish in real life. 

Her day started with her making a mess at breakfast, then barely saving an elderly man from nearly getting run over, falling into a bush as she tried to make up for the time lost in her brief heroic act by taking a short cut and ending up looking like some kind of twig monster and then-

She ran into a boy. Literally. 

“Ouch!” Twin cries of pain and streams of “I’m sorry!” and “Are you ok?” followed as both tried to get their bearings on the situation. 

“I’m so sorry!” Marinette apologize again as she finally looked up to meet bright green eyes, framed by golden locks. She couldn’t help but blush as she pulled away from his look of concern. 

“It's alright. I was in a hurry too.” The boy gave a soft smile as he helped her up before looking over his shoulder, noticeably nervous before turning back to her. “I gotta get going though, I’m gonna… Be late, yeah that, bye princess!” 

And then the boy took off running, leaving Marinette with more questions and a growing blush. 

Needless to say when she finally walked into the classroom late after cleaning out twigs from her hair from the previous fall into a bush, when she met those same light green eyes again as she walked into Miss Bustier’s class she swore her heart was going to escape her chest and her face would be permanently red with two realizations: He had seen her looking terribly disheveled from her meeting with a bush and he had called her princess.

And the cherry on top of the mess of a sundae of the day she was having was that casual grin and wave of a hand, his eyes clearly glittering with recognition as she moved to sit in the row behind him, her seat next to Alya. 

“Kill me now.” Marinette whispered more to herself as she slumped her face to her table. 

“But then who am I going to shit-talk to about Chloe or talk about Miraculous stuff with?” Alya set her eyes on her friend. “What’s bummin you out?”

“A series of unfortunate events in the life of one Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette slowly lifted her head to look at her friend before giving a brief retelling of exactly what happened. 

“Sounds like he thinks your cute. “ Alya wiggled her eyebrows, setting her friend’s face aflame once again. 

“Quit it! I’m sure it was just a slip of tongue, or maybe he flirts with all the girls…” Marinette grumbled. 

Alya then became slightly more serious. “You do know who that is, right?”

“No? Should I?” Marinette blinked. Was he someone she should know?

“Giiiirl, that’s Adrien Agreste! You know, the son of the fashion designer you’re always talking about?” 

Oh. OH.

“Yep. Kill me now.” Marinette slumped further into her chair. 

She could see why he was a model though, the boy was really cute- And kind, she was sure most famous people would have just left her alone instead of making sure she was okay. 

She couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips as she stared at those pretty blond locks on the boy sitting in front of her. She could imagine running her fingers through them felt like petting a kitten.

Alya grinned to herself as she watched her friend. She was totally going to tease Mari later. 

 

\---

Adrien found her again after school shortly after she had parted with Alya. 

“I’m sorry again about earlier,” Adrien started, rubbing his neck as Marinette tried her best not to look like she wanted to be anywhere else. “I didn’t get your name by the way. I’m Adrien.” he offered her his hand.

“O-oh, its no p-problem.” Marinette found herself stuttered. “I’m M-ma-Marinette!” 

“Marinette.” Adrien smiled to himself. “Well, anyways, I wanted to make it up to you. Would you like to-” 

“Adrien, there you are! What did we tell you about leaving the mansion unaccompanied? And who is this?” A tall, dark haired woman approached him, shadowed by a larger, bulky man. 

“Nathalie…” Adrien seemed to wince a little. “I- I went to school. This is my friend, Marinette.” He gestured with both hands to Marinette, whom’s face was slightly flushed that Adrien already considered her such. All she had done was run into him and made a fool of herself.

The woman seemed to calm down slightly as she turned to size up Marinette, said girl trying not to shrink at the analyzing look. “Well, we’ll talk about the school later, but your friend does not seem to pose any danger. We’ll plan a time for your father to meet her so he can approve of your friendship, of course.”

Adrien seemed to wilt slightly at that and sighed. “Yes, Nathalie.” If his father was involved, he was sure the answer would be no. 

Nathalie grabbed Adrien’s wrist and started leading him away and the boy waved to Marinette. “Bye Marinette, hopefully I get to see you again tomorrow at school!”

“B-bye!” 

\---

“This is Carapace. Carapace, this is Ladybug.” Rena introduced the two. Marinette had been late to login due to being constantly distracted remembering the interactions she had with Adrien earlier. In that time, Alya had apparently looked around and found another player who fit her criteria for someone to join their party. The teen in front of her looked like he might be a Kappa, a water elemental. He wore mail that was patterned like a tortoise shell, buckler and sword worn on his back. A turtle-like Kwami was resting on the boy’s head, submerged in the small pool of water signature to the Kappa race. 

“Hi dude, nice to meet you. Rena was telling me a bit about you, though you’re a lot more…” 

“More?” Ladybug raised an eyebrow. 

“Well, I wasn’t expecting a guy…” Carapace shrugged nonchalantly. “But who am I to judge, right? I mean, I’m this.” he gestured to himself. “Anyways, she said you two were looking for a healer or tank, and she was the first to approach me so I guess I can offer to be the brick to your squishy butts.” 

“Oh yes please,” Rena rolled her eyes with a smile playing on her lips, clearly already comfortable with their new companion as Ladybug took note. “Be the punching bag we throw into the front line, you ugly turtle.” 

“Only if you are the one to throw me, Foxy.” Carapace winked, grinning ear to ear. 

Were they... _Flirting?_

“Al- Rena, so what did you have planned for us today, aside from adding to the team?” Ladybug coughed, trying to change the subject.  
“Well training for sure. I think together we could take on wolves…” Rena mused. “And then we could relax in town for a bit. I don’t think we’ve actually gotten to explore it that much since your fangirls attacked us…” 

“Fangirls?” Carapace started laughing. “Wait a second, was that you? There was a comotion yesterday about a model running around in town. You might want to be careful.”

“We should be fine. I’m posing as Ladybug’s wife.” Rena assured, wrapping an arm around Ladybug’s shoulder. “Unless you wanna pitch in and be the husband.” 

“No thanks! I do not want to get in the way of any girl who wants him.” Carapace shook his head. “Hell hath no wrath like a woman out for celebrity crushes…”

“Too late, you agreed to that when you agreed to be our bodyguard- I mean tank.” Rena’s tail brushed over his chest and chuckled when the kappa’s cheeks turned blue. 

Ladybug coughed loudly and couldn’t help laughing as Rena and Carapace remembered they weren’t alone, both now blushing brightly. “As much as I enjoy watching you two banter, there are wolves to kill.” 

“R-right!”

“Y-yeah!”

Ladybug had a feeling she was going to have to chaperone her best friend and their new companion. 

\---

“Who’s this?” Clawed fingers gently pulled off a poster from the wall in town, question directed at the girl who had just put the sign up. 

“That’s Ladybug. He’s going to be my boyfriend. Rumor has it he’s a famous model and he’s really strong. He even evaded all those peasants who were chasing him yesterday in town.” The girl replied, rolling her eyes as if all that should have been obvious from the sign. Her Kwami buzzed in agreement.

 

 **Wanted: Ladybug.  
** **Alive.  
** **Reward negotiable.  
**P.M Abeille with coordinates if located.****

********

********

“Model, huh?” The boy chuckled to himself, as if laughing at some inside joke. “He is pretty cute…” 

“Gag.” A black, cat-like Kwami commented as he floated beside his charge. “Why don’t you just marry him if you think he’s so cute?”

“Aw, you heard Abeille over here. He’s taken.”

“Psh, I doubt Ladybug could like a mangy black cat like you anyways. Go back to the alley you came from, Chat Noir.” Abeille deadpanned. Who did this guy think he was? “Besides, I bet he doesn’t even like guys.”

“Wanna bet on it?” The cat boy purred, giving her a toothy grin of confidence.

What _nerve._ How dare he even challenge her? “I’ll win, but you’re on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cookies for whoever can guess who Abeille is.
> 
> New party member acquired:  
> Carapace, Kappa Warrior


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Party:  
> Ladybug, Nymph Thief  
> Rena Rouge, Beast (Fox) Taoist  
> Carapace: Kappa Warrior

Carapace had gathered five wolves, laughing as they chomped on his buckler uselessly while Rena and Ladybug snuck from behind. 

Ladybug struck the first in the neck, depleting its hp before the wolf could even react.

Rena attached a fu on the second and counted down before blowing a soft note into her flute, detonating the note and setting the wolf on fire. It didn’t go down as swiftly, but the damage over time from the resulting burn finished the roasted wolf off as it howled in pain.

Carapace drove his sword into the stomach of the third, leaving himself a little open for a chomp from another on the ankle, but he only winced slightly as he worked through the pain and cleaved his sword up, cutting the wolf in half. 

The fourth was kicked in the face off Carapace’s ankle and received a dagger to the lung followed by a finishing slash.

The fifth wolf was different. The moment Rena went to apply a fresh fu to it, its eyes lit up and its body seemed to be absorbed by the forces of darkness itself. 

“It’s an Akuma!” Their Kwami all shouted at the same time as the wolf was completely covered by a dark aura and morphed. None of the group knew what an akuma was, but it stood bipedal like a werewolf and had a glint in its eyes. Paws morphed into clawed hands that clenched tightly.

“Do you think its mad we killed its brothers and sisters…” Carapace whispered to the others, shield held in front of him defensively as the ‘Akuma’ howled towards the sky. 

“I don’t know, but we either fight it or run. Do you think we can take it?” Rena looked between her friends as if one of them had the answer. 

“We can try.” Ladybug stood her ground before giving her friends the signal to go in.

They charged from different sides, Ladybug’s dagger meeting the Akuma’s neck, Carapace’s sword finding a home in the Akuma’s stomach, and Rena attempted to add a Fu to its head again only to be shoved back. 

Its health hardly budged as it swung Carapace and Ladybug away, giving what sounded like a mix between a growl and a laugh. 

“We need to find its weak spot.” Ladybug grunted as she picked herself up and took a moment to truly look at the Akuma. It looked like it was riddled in scars, as if it had been in many fights previously. A particularly nasty scar across its left eye caught her attention. “Its eye! Thats its weak spot!” She confidently conveyed the information to her party. 

“I’ll trust you on this one, Bug.” Carapace charged forward, tackling the Akuma into locked position to create an opening as Ladybug dashed around behind the wolf. Preparing a backstab, she climbed up its back as Carapace held the Akuma in place while taking a lot of damage to make sure it didn’t budge as claws dug into his sides. “H-hurry.” 

Ladybug didn’t delay a second longer, driving her dagger directly into the eye of the beast before it could widdle Carapace’s health further. What could only be described as an unholy scream followed as the Akuma lost its grip and toppled over.

The same sludge of darkness that had overtaken it left the wolf and dropped to the ground in the form of a bag. 

“What was that thing?” Ladybug broke the silence as they all eyed the bag wearily. 

“An Akuma. It is a mob that has been altered by dark magic, elevating it to the equivalent of an elite.” Tikki explained. “You should probably loot the bag it dropped before it disappears.” 

Rena was the one to finally approach and pick up the bag, opening it. “Oh wow, check this out. She wasn’t kidding about it being an elite... We all got personal drops.” 

Ladybug reached in for her loot first and Rena and Carapace couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled out a Yo-yo. “It’s…. Got decent dex. But it’s a Yo-yo. I understand it’s gonna hit harder than my daggers, but what am I going to do with a yo-yo?” 

“M- Ladybug, look closer at that item.” Rena’s eyes widened as she looked over the stats of her friend’s new weapon. “That’s not just any old yo-yo, its a growing weapon. I’m not sure if its a joke by the game devs that its a toy weapon, but you won’t ever have to replace it. It’ll level along with you.”

Ladybug couldn’t help but stare at the Yo-Yo with further scrutiny. Growing weapons, as she had read up on them, were on par with late-game god weapons. It was both a joke and a blessing she had gotten it like this. 

Rena reached in next and pulled out a necklace. It looked like a fox’s tail. “This one’s also a growing item.” She grinned as she put it on. “We really struck big here if we all got something that scales…”

Carapace approached last, pulling out a shield much bigger than his own, it was green and looked like an actual turtle shell. “Nice.” He whistled. “It’s also a growing weapon. I’ll be the envy of tanks everywhere…”

“Hmm.” Ladybug was still perplexed by her new weapon as she tested it by throwing it against a nearby tree. The yo-yo lassoed around the trunk and she gave a sharp pull.

The three paled as the string of the yo-yo sliced cleanly through the tree, the upper half of the trunk toppling over. 

“I-I think you’ll be good with that, Ladybug.” Rena gulped. “If that thing can do that to a tree, imagine what it could do to wolves… Or other players.”

\---

After further training and practicing with their new equipment, the trio finally returned to town, weary and in need of a break. 

“Man, they weren’t kidding about the realism.” Ladybug groaned. “I think I have muscles I didn’t even know about that are aching…”

“But look how many levels we gained!” Rena reminded. “We’ll get far in no time. Still, we’re gonna need to make a full team to get even farther…”

“That requires five members though. Why can’t it just be us three?” Ladybug whined. “Carapace is cool, but others will probably only want to join us because-”

“Because they’re convinced you’re a model, or see how hot Rena Rouge is?” Carapace finished, snorting. “I know it wouldn’t be because of me, even if I am a good looking dude in real life.”

“Yeah right, I’m convinced you’re actually a Kappa, not just in game.” Rena teased. “And, you think I’m hot?”

“N-no! I meant hot, like, you set things on fire!” Carapace quickly backtracked, blushing. 

“Its ok, I think she’s hot too.” Ladybug grinned.

“There he is!” A voice in the crowd around them shouted. 

“That’s Ladybug! Grab him!” Another voice, desperation bleeding through it.

A large wall of ice raised itself between Ladybug and her friends, effectively blocking them off. She didn’t even think before taking off, yelling over her shoulder to meet back up later.

She could feel eyes on her as she sprinted. Anxiety and adrenaline fueled her as she dodged spells and people throwing themselves at her. 

And then she ran into a boy, as that seemed to be a growing trend in her life.

A strong arm wrapped around her as the owner of it shouted “Smoke bomb!”, obscuring the vision of everyone in the vicinity including Ladybug herself. 

She felt herself being lifted off the ground, through the air, and finally they landed on a roof. The coincidence that she had once again been rescued by someone else instead of saving herself from a situation did not fall flat to her as she was finally able to get a view of her rescuer with a slightly peeved expression on her face.

He was dressed in a black shinobi shozoku, black headband obscuring the upper half of his face except beautiful green slitted eyes. Black ears and tail also alluded to his beast race. A flirty grin completed his look as he rested his chin on his bo staff, looking her over. “You really are as beautiful as they say, Ladybug.”

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Is that why you saved me? Save me from the mob so you could get me alone, Kitty?”

“It’s Chat Noir, actually. And yes, I had to save the damsel in distress.” Chat’s shit-eating grin was starting to annoy her. 

“Well, I am not a damsel and I am no longer in distress, find another girl to flirt with.”

“... Another girl?”

Oops. “Wait, did you not- I mean- That was a slip of tongue. I meant find a girl.”

Chat snorted loudly. “You’re like, the most handsome guy I’ve ever seen. How could I ever possibly confuse you for a girl? You scared me there for a moment, Bugaboo.”

She nodded stiffly, ignoring the pet name. “Yeah. Right, right…” She laughed very fakely. “Well, if we’re done here, I need to find my teammates-”

“Room for more? I’m looking for a team myself. This stray cat has been oh so lonely and would appreciate it.”

Ladybug bit her lip in thought. On one hand, aside from flirting he seemed harmless and he had saved her. Plus, they were looking for teammates. “I dunno Kitty, maybe if you stop oogling me I’ll consider it.” 

“Meet me in the middle, I’ll only do it out of combat?” Oh god, Chat was using kitty eyes on her, proper kitty eyes with a sheen of tears on the verge of spilling and his lip stuck out in the cutest pout that trembled slightly. She was a goner.

“Ok, fine, you can join us!” Ladybug caved. “But keep your promise, be professional when we need you to.”

“Yes!” Chat fist pumped and she couldn’t help but giggle as he celebrated.

“Ladybug, Rena says to meet her and Carapace outside of town.” Tikki informed her. 

“Oh right. Well, come on Chat.” Ladybug grabbed his hand without thinking, pulling him in the direction that Tikki pointed her. Neither said a word about the action as they left the town, though their Kwamis seemed to be stuffing back laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New party member acquired:  
> Chat Noir: Beast (Cat) Ninja


End file.
